Manuel Alfonse Romero of Yorktown Heights, NY passed away on Sept. 3, 2026 surrounded by family and friends.
He was born to parents William and Johanna on January 5, 1936 in Santurce, Puerto Rico. Manuel graduated from Saint Ann’s High School in West Palm Beach, Florida; received his Bachelors degree from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama; and his Masters degree in Social Work from Fordham University in Bronx, NY. After College, he served as a Captain in the US Army 77th Division and in Active Reserves for 10 years. Then he was employed at the Foundling Hospital in Manhattan before becoming a Probation Officer Supervisor for the Westchester County Department of Corrections for 30 years. He worked tirelessly to help the people in his caseload to have a better future. Manny always encouraged and told them that there was something positive and good to be had in everything.
Manny was a devout Catholic and active parishioner of St. Patrick’s Church in Yorktown Heights. He was a volunteer Catechist and after he retired from probation, he taught art in parochial schools and at BOCES.
He married Judith, the love of his life, in 1959, who survives him. Manny is also survived by sons Steven (Marie), David (Tara), Richard (Gina) and Mary Russo (Michael). He was grandfather to Julia, Daniel, Amy, Meaghan, Jacque, Steven, James, Briana, John, Sophie, Rachel, Rocco and Gianluca, as well as a host of great grandchildren.
Manny enjoyed hobbies such as cooking, traveling, collecting comic books, fly fishing, drawing and painting, listening to opera music, attending ballets in NYC, bible study, watching the Green Bay Packers, and spending time with his family, friends and pets.
His family will always remember with a chuckle how he decorated the Christmas Tree every year with little pieces of cotton balls on the tip of every branch; and how he uniquely put spiced cloves in his meatballs.
The family would like to thank all Manny’s friends and loved ones who helped support him through this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Calvary Hospital.
